Electrical induction extruder apparatus

Abstract

An extruder system that includes an extruder apparatus for melting regolith to create a molten regolith. The extruder apparatus includes a chamber for receiving the regolith and an auger disposed in the chamger for forcing the regolight through the chamber. The extruder apparatus also includes copper wiring coiled around the chamber to create an induction field in the chamber to melt the regolith when alternating current is passed through the copper wiring. A method of generating molten regolith via electrical induction includes feeding regolith to the extruder apparatus and heating the regolith in the extruder apparatus via electrical induction to create a molten regolith. The method also includes extruding the molten regolith from the extruder apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An extruder system, the system comprising:
 an extruder apparatus for melting regolith to create a molten regolith, the extruder apparatus comprises:
 a chamber for receiving the regolith; 
 an auger disposed in the chamber for forcing the regolith through the chamber; and 
 copper wiring coiled around the chamber to create an induction field in the chamber to melt the regolith when alternating current is passed through the copper wiring. 
   
     
     
         2 . The extruder system of  claim 1  further comprising a an extruder nozzle on the chamber to provide the molten regolith extruded from the extruder apparatus with a desired shape. 
     
     
         3 . The extruder system of  claim 1  further comprising a regolith feeder to direct the regolith to the chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The extruder system of  claim 1  further comprising a suscepter sleeve disposed around the chamber and between the chamber and the copper wiring to assist in the generation of heat to melt the regolith. 
     
     
         5 . The extruder system of  claim 4  further comprising a suscepter core disposed in the auger to assist in the generation of heat to melt the regolith. 
     
     
         6 . The extruder system of  claim 5  further comprising an insulation sleeve disposed around the susceptor sleeve and between the susceptor sleeve and the copper wiring to help trap the heat generated from the induction field and melt the regolith. 
     
     
         7 . The extruder system of  claim 1  wherein the copper wiring is copper tubing such that a coolant fluid could be passed through the copper tubing. 
     
     
         8 . The extruder system of  claim 1  wherein the chamber and auger are at least partially constructed of ferro metallic material that can withstand temperatures in excess of 1500° C. 
     
     
         9 . The extruder system of  claim 5  wherein the susceptor sleeve and the susceptor core are at least partially constructed of carbon graphite. 
     
     
         10 . The extruder system of  claim 8  wherein the ferro metallic material can be molybdenum, tungsten, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The extruder system of  claim 1  wherein the regolith is lunar regolith. 
     
     
         12 . A method of generating molten regolith, the method comprising:
 feeding regolith to an extruder apparatus;   heating the regolith in the extruder apparatus via electrical induction to create a molten regolith; and   extruding the molten regolith from the extruder apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising creating a structure from the molten regolith by layering the molten regolith. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the regolith is heated to a temperature greater than 1100° C. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the extruder apparatus comprises:
 a chamber for receiving the regolith; 
 an auger disposed in the chamber for forcing the regolith through the chamber; and 
 copper wiring coiled around the chamber to create an induction field in the chamber to melt the regolith when alternating current is passed through the copper wiring. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising a suscepter sleeve disposed around the chamber and between the chamber and the copper wiring to assist in the generation of heat to melt the regolith. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising a suscepter core disposed in the auger to assist in the generation of heat to melt the regolith. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising an insulation sleeve disposed around the susceptor sleeve and between the susceptor sleeve and the copper wiring to help trap the heat generated from the induction field and melt the regolith. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the chamber and auger are at least partially constructed of ferro metallic material that can withstand temperatures in excess of 1500° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the regolith is lunar regolith.